You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Darren Nicholson, Jackson Scribner, and More

It’s Friday, so we’ve got a passel of new songs and videos just for you. You Gotta Hear This!

Kicking us off, Nashville-based Americana duo Haunted Like Human bring their new single, “Married in Savannah,” about change, growth, and vowing to break generational cycles. It’s a thoughtful track with a beat and vibe that lean forward expectantly – or, perhaps, still hopefully. Meanwhile, Lauren Lovelle shares a song that she released earlier this week, “Anxiously Attached,” a two-steppin’ honky-tonk number about repeated disappointments in love and relationships that’s perfectly lonesome and self-deprecating.

Aptly timed for our current heat wave, Hawaii-born country artist Maoli drops his new album Last Sip of Summer today, and you can hear “Better Off on a Beach” below. While you sweat through these high temps, hit play and lean into his mainstream island-drenched country sounds while you imagine the sand between your toes. Plus, keeping the summer mood going, roots rockers Little Feat have released a brand new video for “4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work,” the groovin’ opening track from their new album, Strike Up The Band, which was released last month.  

Mandolinist Danny Roberts shares a new instrumental tune below, too. “Leitchfield” is a pulsing, acrobatic original mandolin composition that pays homage to Leitchfield, Kentucky, a place Roberts calls “the fiddling capital of Kentucky.” (He should know, too, as he holds a Key to the City!) His labelmate and fellow mandolinist Darren Nicholson also has a new single today, “I’ve Got No Tears Left to Cry.” It’s a lonesome fast waltz that follows Marty Stuart’s sage advice to always trust a simple song.

To wrap us up, check out singer-songwriter Jackson Scribner’s “Depression Kids,” the title track for his just-announced album that was unveiled earlier this week. “…Although [depression is] looked at in a negative manner most of the time,” Jackson says, “it’s something that can bring us all together.” Packaged in vibey steel guitar and equal dashes of Americana and indie folk, the song ends up where our collection this week started, finding traces of hope in perhaps unlikely sentiments.

Of course we think this is a lovely round-up of new music, but you ought to decide for yourself. After all, You Gotta Hear This!

Haunted Like Human, “Married in Savannah”

Artist: Haunted Like Human
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee; originally Fayetteville, Georgia (Dale Chapman) and Milton-Freewater, Oregon (Cody Clark)
Song: “Married In Savannah”
Album: American Mythology
Release Date: June 27, 2025 (single); October 17, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Married in Savannah’ is a song about growing up and realizing that you’ve grown into someone very different than the people that you thought that you knew. The song unfolds as the narrator looks at their relationship with an old and dear friend that they’ve drifted apart from. She was fiery and passionate and felt stifled by the expectations of the posh Southern family that she came from. The two spent their younger years vowing to break cycles and craft lives of their own, but the narrator now finds that their friend has seemingly become all of the things that she used to hate. Our narrator has to sit with the questions that they won’t ever get answers to, like whether the friend’s spirit was broken or if it was all just youthful naiveté that she set aside as she matured. They mourn the loss of the friend that they knew and the future that she could have had.” – Haunted Like Human

Track Credits:
Byron House – Bass
Paul Eckberg – Percussion
Charlie Lowell – Keys
Eleonore Denig – Violin
Cody Clark – Guitar, vocals
Dale Chapman – Vocals
Engineered and mixed by Mitch Dane.
Mastered by Veronica Conners.


Little Feat, “4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work”

Artist: Little Feat
Hometown: Bill Payne – Emigrant, Montana;  Kenny Grandy – Los Angeles, California; Sam Clayton – Fallbrook, California; Fred Tackett – Los Angeles, California; Scott Sharrard – New York, New York; Tony Leone – New York, New York
Song: “4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work”
Album: Strike Up The Band
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Label: Hot Tomato

In Their Words: “‘4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work’ is the opening track on our new album. The ‘Gonzo Funk’ in the song’s lyrics and groove exemplify our lineup’s take on the classic Feat boogie. It is also the only tune on the album that was co-written by Bill, Tony, and I. All the riffs and lyrical imagery could only have come out of the three of us throwing ideas around together. Once the band got a hold of it, it went to a whole other level. This one was a true collaboration in service of the song.” – Scott Sharrard


Lauren Lovelle, “Anxiously Attached”

Artist: Lauren Lovelle
Hometown: Newton, Kansas
Song: “Anxiously Attached”
Album: Other Dreams EP
Release Date: June 25, 2025 (single); September 9, 2025 (EP)

In Their Words: “[‘Anxiously Attached’ is] about begging for the bare minimum, putting your partner on a pedestal, and in turn, repeatedly disappointing yourself. I find myself laughing during that ‘dammit I gotta work the dinner shift’ line, because I often am playing a gig right after working a dinner shift.” – Lauren Lovelle


Maoli, “Better Off on a Beach”

Artist: Maoli
Hometown: Maui, Hawaii
Song: “Better Off on a Beach”
Album: Last Sip of Summer
Release Date: June 27, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Better off on a Beach’ is such a vibe. There’s something magical about the beach – it’s like time slows down, and everything just clicks into place. Honestly, I don’t know a single person who isn’t better off with their toes in the sand. Being from Hawai‘i, I’ve always felt a deep connection to the ocean. The sound of waves rolling in, the warm sand beneath your feet – it takes you to a different place mentally. This song brings all of that home for me. It’s about letting go of your worries, surrounding yourself with good friends, and soaking up the good times. It’s about leaving your troubles behind… back where the pavement ends.” – Maoli


Darren Nicholson, “I’ve Got No Tears Left to Cry”

Artist: Darren Nicholson
Hometown: Canton, North Carolina
Song: “I’ve Got No Tears Left To Cry”
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I heard Marty Stuart say once that you should always trust a simple song. That stuck with me. So, ‘I’ve Got No Tears Left To Cry’ is just that. It’s a blunt goodbye letter from a jaded lover who is completely over being burned one too many times. It’s a ‘moving on’ song. Musically, it’s a traditional sounding piece that is reminiscent of classic bluegrass and honky-tonk music. It’s written to sing with big harmonies and Kevin and Avery nailed those. I am very proud of this cut and think bluegrass fans will enjoy it!” – Darren Nicholson

Track Credits:
Darren Nicholson – Mandolin, lead vocal
Mark Fain – Upright bass
David Johnson – Acoustic guitar
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Avery Welter – Harmony vocal
Kevin Sluder – Harmony vocal


Danny Roberts, “Leitchfield”

Artist: Danny Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Leitchfield”
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “When I wrote this tune, I didn’t have a title in mind and needed to come up with something to call it. While listening to the song and pondering on a name, I got thinking about the fact that my lifelong friend, Jimmy Mattingly, played fiddle on it. That led me down the path of recalling us growing up on adjacent farms, going to school and playing music together which gave me the idea that it would be cool to have a song named after our hometown of Leitchfield, Kentucky. Leitchfield/Grayson County is the fiddling capital of Kentucky and has produced many fiddlers and other musicians over the years and I’m very proud to call it home. I was honored to receive the Key to the City from Mayor Harold Miller at last year’s Twin Lakes National Fiddler Championship and I’m dedicating ‘Leitchfield’ to all the wonderful folks there.

“It was so much fun getting to record this with some of the greatest musicians I’ve ever picked with – Jimmy Mattingly, Tony Wray, and Andrea Roberts, and I appreciate them helping me bring this tune to life. I hope everyone enjoys it!” – Danny Roberts

Track Credits:
Danny Roberts – Mandolin
Andrea Roberts – Bass
Tony Wray – Acoustic guitar, banjo
Jimmy Mattingly – Fiddle


Jackson Scribner, “Depression Kids”

Artist: Jackson Scribner
Hometown: Melissa, Texas
Song: Depression Kids
Album: Depression Kids
Release Date: June 25, 2025 (single); September 19, 2025 (album)
Label: State Fair Records

In Their Words: “I wrote this song on a bunch of sticky notes on my bedroom floor, thinking about the different ways I feel depression. It occurred to me that no matter what sort of depression people are dealing with, everyone deals with it. Everyone’s in the same giant boat. In a way, although it’s looked at in a negative manner most of the time, it’s something that can bring us all together.” – Jackson Scribner


Photo Credit: Darren Nicholson by Jeff Smith; Jackson Scribner by Brendan Blaney.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Danny Roberts, Dallas Ugly, and More

The music release cycle marches on, bringing us to our first premiere roundup of March!

Below you’ll find new tracks and videos from artists like Big Love Car Wash, who take us on a tour of our collective subconscious with a bluegrassy-folky track, “Dream Journal.” Plus, mandolinist Danny Roberts – who you may know from The Grascals – pays tribute to two of his mandolin heroes with his new instrumental, “Lawson Sizemore.” And Dallas Ugly bemoan a bit too much indulgence and “sweets” with “Sugar Crash,” a deliciously saccharine number produced by Justin Frances from their upcoming album, See Me Now.

Country rocker Joel Timmons returns to his recent release, Psychedelic Surf Country, with a lyric video that tells the story of his dad burning piles of Christmas trees on “Just a Man,” complete with vintage 8mm family footage. Don’t miss singer-songwriter Grayson Jenkins turning over aging, mortality, and the constants of life on “Taxes & Time” with a charming video and a clean honky-tonk sound.

It’s all right here on BGS! Scroll for more, because You Gotta Hear This.

Big Love Car Wash, “Dream Journal”

Artist: Big Love Car Wash
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Dream Journal”
Album: Daydream
Release Date: March 14, 2025 (single); June 6, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “For me, ‘Dream Journal’ is about a fork in the road, about making a pivotal decision. The decision that inspired this song was between attending law school and dedicating myself to music. At its heart though, ‘Dream Journal’ is about really listening to yourself. When you’re dreaming peacefully, where are you?” – David Rabinowicz, songwriter, guitar, lead vocals

Track Credits:
David Rabinowicz – Guitar, lead vocals, songwriter
Sol Chase – Mandolin, harmony vocals
Everett Wren – Fiddle, shaker
Taylor Turner – Double bass
Joseph Holguin, Arlyn Studios – Recording, mixing engineer
Andrew Oedel – Mastering engineer


Dallas Ugly, “Sugar Crash”

Artist: Dallas Ugly
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Sugar Crash”
Album: See Me Now
Release Date: March 6, 2025 (single); April 18, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “This song was inspired by the reliability of a low showing up after a high, specifically in a romantic setting. You know if you keep playing with fire you’re going to get burned, but it’s just so much fun. Besides, even when things are going well, falling for someone is a mix of fear and excitement. Sonically, we wanted to make this a sweet little candy bop and our producer, Justin Francis, nailed it with the warbley synth sounds he added. We also went for some cheekier arrangement choices to just really drive the playful aspect home. Hope this little twangy, twee song makes you dance!” – Libby Weitnauer

Track Credits:
Libby Weitnauer – Acoustic guitar, vocals
Owen Burton – Electric guitar, vocals
Eli Broxham – Bass
Brandon Combs – Drums, percussion
Justin Francis – Programming, percussion, acoustic guitar, keys


Grayson Jenkins, “Taxes & Time”

Artist: Grayson Jenkins
Hometown: Greenville, Kentucky
Song: “Taxes & Time”
Release Date: March 7, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Taxes & Time’ spilled out onto my notebook page early one morning after a restless night of sleep spent on an air mattress at a family member’s house. Nine times out of ten, those things go flat in the middle of the night – no fault to my hosts. This time, though, it also happened to be in the middle of the pandemic and one of the first times I had left home and my own bed in many months. I woke up at 5:00 am or so thinking about my grandfather, including a very distinct memory from my childhood of someone saying something to the effect of, ‘Papaw doesn’t travel outside of this many miles from home, because he has to get back to sleep in his bed.’ In about five minutes, I’d written the whole song with no melody or instrumentation in mind. This all happened around the time I turned 30 and it was cathartic to put my thoughts on paper about getting older, feeling and looking older, and thinking about what the important things in my life should be moving forward.” – Grayson Jenkins

Track Credits:
Grayson Jenkins – Songwriting, acoustic guitar, vocals
Paddy Ryan – Drums
Aaron Boehler – Bass
Jesse Aycock – Dobro
Fats Kaplin – Fiddle
Kevin Gordon – Backing vocals


Danny Roberts, “Lawson Sizemore”

Artist: Danny Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Lawson Sizemore”
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “While I was putting together songs for this record I knew that I wanted to salute two of my favorite mandolin players – Doyle Lawson and Herschel Sizemore. Both of these men not only had an impact on me musically, but personally as well, and I wanted to pay tribute to them by writing a song that would show their influence on my playing and ‘Lawson Sizemore’ is it. I really enjoyed writing this tune and I hope I did two of my mandolin heroes justice with ‘Lawson Sizemore.'” – Danny Roberts

Track Credits:
Danny Roberts – Mandolin
Andrea Roberts – Bass
Tony Wray – Acoustic guitar, banjo
Jimmy Mattingly – Fiddle


Joel Timmons, “Just A Man”

Artist: Joel Timmons
Hometown: Folly Beach, SC
Song: “Just a Man”
Album: Psychedelic Surf Country
Release Date: February 7, 2025 (album); March 7, 2025(video)

In Their Words: “‘Just a Man’ is the true story of my early childhood introduction to pyromania. The lyrics tell the story (fairly accurately) of my father gathering a pile of Christmas trees in our backyard and setting it on fire, nearly burning down our house and neighborhood. Woven through this humorous recollection is the realization that my dad is ‘just a man.’ Though he seemed like a flame-wielding mythical god to me as a little boy, he was full of his own dreams, doubts, questions, hubris, and fears. I edited together the lyric video with some vintage 8mm movie film footage that my mother shot. The final result feels like an intimate home movie night and it’s a visual love letter to my dear dad, Clyde. The recording features fantastic fiddling from another sweet man that I love, Jason Carter.” – Joel Timmons

Video Credits: Videography by Carlin Timmons. Edited by Joel Timmons.


Photo Credit: Danny Roberts by Sandlin Gaither; Dallas Ugly by Betsy Phillips.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Yasmin Williams, Danny Roberts, and More

It’s our first New Music Friday of August! This week, we’ve got an excellent handful of tracks you simply gotta hear. First, there’s Paula Fong with a “zippy little tune” that’s delightfully old school country. Plus, Danny Roberts brings us a ramblin’ bluegrass track, “The Drifter,” which pays homage both to David “Dawg” Grisman and Roberts’ late brother-in-law, Mike Mullins.

Our penultimate premiere is the title track for Americana duo – and 2024 AmericanaFest Official Showcase artist – A Tale of Two’s upcoming album, Renegade. To finish us off, the impeccable and mystifying guitarist Yasmin Williams calls on indie folk favs Darlingside for “Virga,” a swirling song from her just-announced upcoming album, Acadia.

Listen below, ’cause You Gotta Hear This!

Paula Fong, “A House Is Not A Home”

Artist: Paula Fong
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “A House Is Not A Home”
Album: Chestnut Mare
Release Date: September 6, 2024

In Their Words: “This is hands down the fastest I’ve ever written a song. It took me around 15 minutes to write it top to bottom – chords and lyrics – and felt like it just flew out of my head onto the page. I often write about fairly heavy subjects, but in this case I thought I’d just try out a zippy little tune that puts a smile in your heart and makes you want to tap your feet. I often get compliments that it sounds like an effortlessly classic old country tune.

“When I was in my early 20’s I moved from Los Angeles to North Carolina for a time to work at an outdoor Montessori/Quaker farm school that was located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Life there was full and busy, but in a different way from LA. Many things were clearer, more simple, more joyful in a way. I feel like this song captures one facet of the simplicity of that time (and some specific NC references – traveling across the mountains, chickens in the garden). Generally speaking, I think love is hardly simple, but there are certainly moments that can feel as easy and carefree as this song.” – Paula Fong


Danny Roberts, “The Drifter”

Artist: Danny Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Drifter”
Release Date: August 2, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “When I started writing ‘The Drifter,’ I was inspired to compose something to pay tribute to one of my all-time favorite mandolin players, David Grisman. I feel like this song has that vibe, though nobody can play that style like Dawg. The song title is in honor of my late brother-in-law, Mike Mullins, who wrote a book called The Drifter before he passed away; that title just seemed to fit this song. ‘The Drifter’ was so much fun to record, and it’s always great to have my wife Andrea playing bass with me and the solos that Tony Wray (banjo and guitar) and Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle) played on it are magical. I’m blessed to have such great musicians helping me bring my music to life!” – Danny Roberts

Track Credits:
Danny Roberts – Mandolin
Andrea Roberts – Bass
Tony Wray – Acoustic guitar, banjo
Jimmy Mattingly – Fiddle


A Tale of Two, “Renegade”

Artist name: A Tale Of Two
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Renegade”
Album: Renegade
Release Date: October 4, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Renegade’ is a fitting title for both the record and this song. It represents a shift, a changing of the tide. Our aim is to embody an identity that defies the norms of Nashville. Drawing inspiration from fragments of a previously unreleased track, “Renegade” continues the next chapter of our story, infused with the spirit of the Appalachian terrain we know so well.” – A Tale of Two

Track Credits:
Aaron Lessard – Guitar and vocals
Stephanie Adlington – Vocals
Ross McReynolds – Percussion
Elizabeth Estes – Fiddle
Jon Estes – Bass


Yasmin Williams, “Virga”

Artist: Yasmin Williams
Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia
Song: “Virga”
Album: Acadia
Release Date: October 4, 2024
Label: Nonesuch Records

In Their Words: “A virga occurs when trails of rainfall from a cloud evaporate before they reach the ground. While virga can be beautiful to look at, it can also cause extreme turbulence for aircrafts. I related this phenomenon to how I feel about participating in the music industry. While it’s so fulfilling to create music that I’m proud of and to be able to travel around the world, the industry itself is dangerous to be a part of and doesn’t always value art or artists.

“Instead, the music industry values metrics and other things that are related to business, not art, forcing most artists to think about hitting their next business target instead of putting their energy into their music. I often feel overwhelmed with all of the expectations that the music business puts on artists and the constant need to move on to the next goal post instead of being able to reflect on, and be grateful for, the things I’ve already achieved.

“While writing ‘Virga,’ I realized that it’s totally fine to feel suspended in time, with my career goals, hopes, and dreams suspended in the atmosphere of an environment I have no control over… and I eventually learned how to thrive “in Virga,” through both the beautiful times and the turbulent ones.” – Yasmin Williams

Track Credits:
Darlingside – Vocals
Rich Ruth – Synth,
Yasmin Williams – Harp guitar
Jeff Gruber – Recording engineer
Mixed by Ken Lewis at thATMOS Studios.


Photo Credit: Yasmin Williams by Ebru Yildiz; Danny Roberts by Sandlin Gaither.

BGS Wraps: Daryl Mosley, “An Old Fashioned Christmas”

Artist: Daryl Mosley
Hometown: Waverly, Tennessee
Song: “An Old Fashioned Christmas”
Label: Pinecastle Records

In Their Words: “I’ve always had a love affair with the past. I love history, antiques, old music, old movies, old instruments, etc. As I’ve gotten older, things from my own past come into play. Rick Lang and I wrote the song from around a conversation of our personal Christmas experiences. It’s those special memories and those mental snapshots of our childhood that are most precious to us this time of year. Being able to record the song with my longtime friend Danny Roberts producing, and his amazingly talented daughter Jaelee singing harmony, was extra special and it truly captured the feelings of family. It is my hope when people hear the song that it mentally takes them back to happy Christmas memories of their own.” — Daryl Mosley

LISTEN: The Grascals, “Heartbreak Hall of Fame”

Artist: The Grascals
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Heartbreak Hall of Fame”
Single Release Date: November 2, 2018
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Our new single ‘Heartbreak Hall of Fame’ was written by Ray Edwards, Larry Joe Cox and Dicky Minor. We always go to Ray Edwards for songs when we are ready to record, and we have done a couple of songs written by him in the past — ‘Sweet Little Mountain Girl’ and ‘I Have Been Redeemed.’ We feel like the songs that Ray is involved with writing have the feel of old, traditional tunes that really fit our band well. ‘Heartbreak Hall of Fame’ is no exception. To me, ‘Heartbreak Hall of Fame’ could be a future classic bluegrass song!” — Danny Roberts, mandolin


Photo credit: Kim Lancaster